The invention relates to patient care mattress or support surface features and, more particularly, to mattress features that provide better user support and comfort.
There are existing mattress designs purportedly suited for hospitals or other patient care facilities or patient home use. The various mattress sections are typically constructed to accommodate different parts of a user's body, as at least head section, chest/torso section, and leg/foot section. In this manner, the mattress is more comfortable by providing tailored support areas.
In order to connect the various mattress sections, it is typical to use some type of adhesive or stitching across a straight butt joint. Such joints, however, are prone to failure over time, particularly when used with an articulating bed frame. As straight butt joints are lined up over each other, in the various layers, or even in one layer, once the joint starts to give, the whole joint and successive joints are susceptible to failing.
Additionally, when a patient articulates the bed frame, the patient may experience a feeling of sliding to the point of discomfort. This sliding is due to the fact that when seated, a great deal of a patient's weight is on the buttocks, which causes the foam to depress, allowing the patient to slide.
Still further, when seated on an edge of the mattress, the conventional construction is unable to prevent the patient from bottoming out on the frame (see FIG. 5). Often the edges of the frame allow for only a thin layer of foam, which exaggerates the problem, as thin layers of conventional foam bottom out easily. This drawback also renders the mattress less comfortable.